> Man admits to assaulting over 100 young girls

CHIBA — A 26 year-old man was arrested Monday for indecent assault after he muffled the mouth of a 9-year-old girl and fondled her inappropriately, police said. According to police, the suspect, identified as Sakura City resident Akihiro Saito, spotted the girl on her way home from school in Chiba City on May 22. He grabbed her from behind, covered her mouth and then fondled her before fleeing.

According to police, Saito admits to the charges, saying, “I did it because I was frustrated.” He was quoted as saying that he had committed similar acts over 100 times, mainly to elementary-aged girls.

In the Chiba City area, similar incidents had been occurring with some frequency, and just as police had created a likeness of the offender and begun an investigation, Saito was brought in for questioning.